Lesson plans
Nebraska Game and Parks offers a variety of lesson plans on flora, fauna and other natural resources topics specific to the state. Produced by Nebraska Game and Parks educators, these plans align to state science standards and focus on Nebraska-specific wildlife for a localized approach to learning in the classroom. Our plans and educational materials encourage inquiry, research and more. Download the plans, PowerPoints and video resources below.
Featured plans
Our featured lesson plans and films focus on Nebraska’s incredible wetlands. These resources were designed specifically for classroom use with materials created for kindergarten through 12-grade teachers. Lessons focus on Nebraska-based science phenomena including aquatic habitats, adaptations and native species.
Plant adaptations
Learn about how plants have adapted to grow and thrive in wetland spaces, while supporting wildlife and insects, as well.
Available lesson plans:
Download K-2
Download 3-5
Download 6-8
Download 9-12
Animal engineers
Learn how animals manipulate their environment to utilize and thrive in Nebraska wetlands.
Available lesson plans:
Download K-2
Download 3-5
Download 6-8
Download 9-12
Enhance your lessons
Our Amazing Adaptations series was created for video learning about how plant and animal changes occur and why. These films were designed specifically for classroom use for elementary and middle school learners.
Amazing adaptations
Our overview video explores how plants and animals adapt over short or long periods of time to thrive in unique and diverse habitat. Take a deeper dive with two additional videos exploring the adaptations of snakes and pallid sturgeons.
Other plans
PowerPoint: Animal and Habitats
Lesson Plan: Wants vs. Needs
Lesson Plan: My Favorite Animal
PowerPoint: 10 Things You Should Do to Help Birds
Lesson Plan: Birds in the Food Web
Lesson Plan: Category, Chart and Graphs
Lesson Plan: Mapping Birds
Lesson Plan: Poetic Birds
Lesson Plan: Speaking for the Birds
Lesson Plan: Storytime
Lesson Plan: Venn Diagram
Lesson Plan: Homemade Binoculars
Lesson Plan: Birding Life List
Lesson Plan: Pinecone Bird Feeder
Project BEAK
Adaptations
Lesson Plan: Build a Bird
Lesson Plan: Communication: Bird Call Matching Game
Lesson Plan: Communication: Turkey Calls
Lesson Plan: Feathers: Oil and Feathers
Lesson Plan: Migration: Silhouettes
Lesson Plan: Migration: Bird Tracking
Lesson Plan: Reproduction: Race for Survival
Lesson Plan: Wings and Flight: Paper Airplanes
Birding Basics
Lesson Plan: Food for All
Lesson Plan: Home Helpers
Lesson Plan: Life List
Birds & People
Lesson Plan: Birds as Food – Recipes
Lesson Plan: Conservation Door Hangers
Lesson Plan: Whoopers on the Rise
Lesson Plan: Picketing for Plovers
PowerPoint: Life Cycles
Lesson Plan: Which Came First | Which Came First Images
Lesson Plan: Plant Life Cycle Buffet
Lesson Plan: Peregrines in Peril
Lesson Plan: Dear Diary
Lesson Plan: Build A Bird
Lesson Plan: Plant Press
Lesson Plan: Leafy Creations
Lesson Plan: Leaf Rubbings
PowerPoint: Power of Pollinators
Lesson Plan: Pollinators, Meet Your Plants
Lesson Plan: Pollinator Super Heroes!
Lesson Plan: Monarch Life Cycle Sort
Activity: Monarch Butterfly Coloring Page
PowerPoint: Prairies 101 – Nebraska’s 4 Prairie Ecosystems
PowerPoint: Prairies and Prairie Food Webs
Lesson Plan: Measuring Prairie Plants
Lesson Plan: Mapping the Prairie Food Web | Prairie Food Web Images (two files)
Lesson Plan: Prairie Field Guides
Lesson Plan: Rainfall on the Plain
Lesson Plan: Prairie Nature Journals
Scavenger Hunts are a great way to get your students outside and engaged in nature. They also help work on observation skills and often lead to exploration, questioning, and adventure – all good things!
Early childhood
Early elementary
Upper elementary
Middle school
Sounds scavenger hunt
Video: Building a Classroom Compost Bin (2:44 minutes)
Video: Changing the Soil in your Worm Bin (1:21 minutes)
Video: What do Worms Like to Eat? (2:05 minutes)
Video: Worm Experiment: Light or Dark? (1:29 minutes)
Video: Worm Measurement (1:38 minutes)
PowerPoint: Soils
Lesson Plan: Measuring Worms
Lesson Plan: Mud Painting
Lesson Plan: Soil ID Book
Lesson Plan: Soil Recipe
Lesson Plan: We All Need Soil
Lesson Plan: Soil Painting
Lesson Plan: Nature’s Network
Lesson Plan: Rare Species Class Book
Lesson Plan: T&E Masks
Lesson Plan: Bottleneck Genes
Lesson Plan: Picketing for Plovers
Lesson Plan: Whoopers on the Rise
Lesson Plan: Trial for Terns
PowerPoint: Wetlands of Nebraska
Power Point: Water & Wetlands
Lesson Plan: Marsh Market | Marsh Market Food Web Images
Lesson Plan: Pollution Prevention Door Hangers
Lesson Plan: Weather Begins With the Sun
Lesson Plan: Water Filtration
Images: Nebraska Watersheds Map
Images: Nebraska Rivers Map
Lesson Plan: Cloud Gazing
Lesson Plan: Nature Journal
The Outdoor Skills After-School program offers a variety of lesson plans focused on developing outdoor skills.
Related Content
Nebraska wildlife
Learn about Nebraska’s diverse wildlife, including our animas, fish and plants.
Nebraska habitat
Nebraska offers a diverse range of habitats, from wetlands to prairies, that support our wildlife and fish.